Note: This is a seattlepi.com reader blog. It is not written or edited by the P-I. The authors are solely responsible for content. E-mail us at newmedia@seattlepi.com if you consider a post inappropriate.

SAFE at home

It was a good thing I saw Sinatra’s clean side first at the open house at Safe Harbor Stables, the new home of Save A Forgotten Equine.

Sinatra was still three-quarters clean from his bath

Alison pointed out the green stains he had applied to one side, partially undoing her good work. “That’s Sinatra!” she said.

Sinatra used to be Alison’s favorite, back in the days of the big seizure that brought him to the farm. She’s still got a soft spot for those blue eyes, but recently Aiden, whom she rode at the Hollywood Hills dressage show, has taken his limelight. “A well-suited pair,” she quoted the judge’s comments, though being a rider, she told me all the things they needed to work on first. Aiden is only four and very much available for adoption — his details are on the SAFE site.

The world's longest travelling tack sale is still in progress

I was there when Aiden and Lola arrived at SAFE as emaciated weanlings, though not at near to the edge as Sinatra. These three were actually the only horses from the era when I was a regular volunteer.

Sara is also a volunteer rider at SAFE, as well as the coordinator of the site checks and follow-up visits. She really appreciates the accessibility of the new location, which has both an indoor and an outdoor arena. They are able to have a full complement of volunteer staff, who clean stalls and feed, and it is a very short haul to nearby venues to get the SAFE horses to shows and on the trail. Hollywood Hills, in Woodinville, is very much horse country, and local horse people came by the open house.

Some of the other horses at the new facility, where Sara told me they hope to keep the number around twelve, were also familiar faces, but most were new to me.

Suvi and her daughter get hands on

Not to some of the volunteers, like Sumi, who told me that she was “volunteer of the month,” and whose daughter was drawn to the minis. Or to Debi Shatos, who is the volunteer coordinator and also on the Board of Directors.

I didn’t have to twist her arm too much to have her picture taken with April. I knew April’s story, a mare in tough circumstances who was surrendered to Animal Control after a life-threatening wire injury, but had never met her in person. She was clearly eager for attention and her liver chestnut coat glowed. She’s started under saddle now and available for adoption – here’s her SAFE page.

Louie is looking good! With Debi Shatos

I asked Debi who her favorite was. Louie, she said without hesitation. “He’s really coming along,” she said. “He still needs to build muscle on his topline, but he’s cantering under saddle.”

He came to SAFE as part of a group of Arabs seized from a breeding operation in Pierce County last November (details on Louie’s page). He’s in his middle years, and while he was accepting of being photographed, particularly with Debi there, when he tensed his lips, creating deep wrinkles, I offered him scritches instead. He’s still got a little way to go to physically recover, but the combination of work and good feed will hopefully build him up enough to be adoption-ready soon.

For Beth Amberg, also on the SAFE Board of Directors, it is the most recent arrival who touches her the most, a quarter horse mare named Kat whose owner was in failing health. Kat had not been working and her weight was down, but after a month and a half of care, she was gaining it back. She was more cautious than Louie.

“She’s a little nervous with all that’s going on today,” Beth said. “but she’s just had her first ride here and did really well.”

It might be a worry-motivated trot, but it's balanced worry!

She has some serious training in the past, so it’s more a matter of building her back us. A random noise sent Kat hustling back to her stall. which she used like a hermit crab, protecting her backside from Les’ snapping hotdog tongs, but still able to relate to us.

“Look at her nice big feet,” Beth said. They are also in good shape. That is often the determining factor in how long it takes to rehabilitate a horse.

A horse’s true personality is not always easy to read at intake, as they may be depressed from poor physical condition, mishandled or simply unhandled and defensive. Sometimes it takes being someone’s favorite for them to come out of their shell. We are drawn to particular horses for different reasons, but for me, watching them emerge and shine as individuals rather than merely objects of pity was the best reward for volunteering.

All of my favorites, and in fact almost all of the SAFE herd from my day have graduated to the real world, but seeing the pictures online and hearing stories continues to be rewarding. I am glad to see that SAFE too is not only surviving, it is thriving, giving a whole new generation of people that experience. This new Woodinville location will solidify that position in the community, I suspect.

If you are interested, in helping out, the next SAFE event is the Benefit Show — August 4th and 5th at Donida Farms, presented by Reber Ranch — and extra hands are always useful, both at the show and for the dinner and prep. I helped last year and was amazed and how the show has grown. Unfortunately, Danny and I will be at the Bare Bones ride that weekend, but I’ll be sending some of my obstacles for the trail course. Karen Wegehenkel will be taking pictures at the show, so I’ll get to experience it vicariously.

If you want to ride in the show, word is that the stalls are filling up (and you need a stall to show) so don’t put it off – more information on the SAFE site.

Note: This is a seattlepi.com reader blog. It is not written or edited by the P-I. The authors are solely responsible for content. E-mail us at newmedia@seattlepi.com if you consider a post inappropriate.